1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a sewing data processing apparatus and a program storage medium that stores a sewing data processing program and, in particular, to a sewing data processing apparatus capable of displaying sewing data created thereon as an image using suitable thick lines corresponding to a thickness of the thread to be used for actual sewing in accordance with a magnification rate of the display, to accurately represent the appearance of the stitches when the sewing data is magnified.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional sewing data processing apparatus, which is comprised of a personal computer, it is arranged that each of sewing data for a desired stitch pattern or embroidery pattern is created on a display using a mouse (or other coordinate input device or means, such as the arrow keys on a keyboard or a touch or light stylus). That is, various patterns and figures, such as a flower or an animal, are drawn on a sewing data making screen by moving a mouse pointer to a desired position on the display using the mouse (in this example) and clicking successively to define needle positions, and sewing data is created based on these patterns and figures. Sewing data can be also created from a figure which has been scanned through an image reading device, such as an image reader, and edited on the sewing data making screen.
The sewing data making screen allows a part of the sewing data created thereon to be magnified, thereby enabling the operator to confirm thread density among stitches in the part shown on the display. In this case, the part is specified using the mouse, and it can be displayed in a desired enlarged view, for example, 120% or 180%. When the sewing data is displayed in the enlarged view, it is noted that just the sewing area or pattern size of the sewing data is enlarged. Whatever the magnification rate is set to, the thread representing each stitch of the sewing data is indicated with a fixed thickness, for example, a thin line with a width of a single dot.
On the other hand, a recent commercially available sewing data processing apparatus is one where a user can change the thickness of thread representing stitches in a pattern to a desired thickness on the display.
However, in the apparatus of this kind, the thread thickness displayed on the display is not automatically adjusted even if the magnification rate of the sewing data is changed. In order to display the sewing data on this apparatus so that the operator can imagine the results after it is sewn, the operator must determine how many dots are required to represent the thread thickness on the display if the magnification rate is changed, and set the number of dots in the apparatus. Because of this, when the operator wants to see all of the sewing data in an enlarged view or a part of the sewing data in a further enlarged view, the operator has to determine and reset the thread thickness every time the magnification rate is changed. This operation really annoys the operator.
The invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances. Therefore, the objects of the invention are to display sewing data for a stitch pattern or embroidery pattern created on the apparatus as an image as closely as possible to what will actually be sewn; to display stitches with suitable thick lines corresponding to a display magnification rate with a simple operation; and to reset the changed thread thickness and magnification rate to their default values easily.
A sewing data processing apparatus described in embodiments of the invention to accomplish these objects comprises a display, a thread thickness selecting device that selects a thread thickness of a thread used for forming a sewing pattern, a displaying magnification setting device that sets a displaying magnification of the sewing pattern on the display, a calculating device that calculates a displaying size of the thread on the display based on the thread thickness selected by the thread thickness selecting device and the displaying magnification set by the displaying magnification setting device, a display controller that displays the sewing pattern with the thread in the displaying size calculated by the calculating device on the display.
The thread thickness to be set on the display is selected via the thread thickness setting device by inputting a thread number or thread diameter. A magnification rate to display a pattern in a desired size is selected, such as 120% and 180%, via the displaying magnification setting device. A size of the image of the thread is determined in the calculating device, based on the thread thickness determined in the thread thickness setting device and the magnification rate determined in the displaying magnification setting device. Namely, thread in the image of the created sewing data can be displayed with a suitable thickness which is found as a result of the calculation. If the magnification rate is changed, thread can be displayed with a suitable thickness in accordance with the change in the magnification rate. Thus, the operator can view the finished result (especially thread density) of the actual sewn pattern on the display just by predetermining the thread thickness, no matter how the magnification rate is changed.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the sewing data processing apparatus further comprises a default thickness storing device that stores a default thickness of the thread and a thread thickness resetting device that resets a setting of the thread thickness to the default thickness of the thread stored in the default thickness storing device.
Therefore, if the thread thickness is changed via the thread thickness setting device, it can be easily reset to the default value via the default thickness storing device. In this aspect, it is desirable that the sewing data processing apparatus further comprises a default thickness setting device that sets the thickness of the thread used for the sewing data being processed as a default thickness. Because the thread thickness currently set in the sewing data can be set as the default immediately, the operation for a default setting becomes very simple.
In another preferred aspect of the invention, the sewing data processing apparatus further comprises a default displaying magnification storing device that stores a default displaying magnification, and a displaying magnification resetting device that resets a setting of the displaying magnification of the thread to the default displaying magnification stored in the default displaying magnification storing device.
Therefore, if the magnification rate is changed via the displaying magnification setting device, it can be easily reset to the default value via the displaying magnification resetting device. In this aspect, it is desirable that the sewing data processing apparatus further comprises a default displaying magnification setting device that sets the displaying magnification of the thread used for the sewing data being processed as a default magnification rate. Because the magnification rate currently set in the sewing data can be set as the default immediately, the operation for a default setting becomes very simple.
In a further preferred aspect of the invention, the displaying magnification setting device sets a displaying magnification of a desired sewing pattern. Therefore, the operator can see a specific part of the sewing pattern in an enlarged view to check the finished results, such as thread density in detail.
In another preferred aspect of the invention, the displaying magnification setting device sets a displaying magnification of an entire sewing area. Therefore, the operator can confirm a general view of the sewing data by changing the displaying magnification of the entire area.
In another embodiment of the invention, a computer-readable storage medium stores a sewing data processing program for processing sewing data using an electronic processor and a display. The sewing data processing program includes a thread thickness selecting routine for selecting a thread thickness of a thread used for forming a sewing pattern, a displaying magnification setting routine for setting a displaying magnification of the sewing pattern on the display, a calculating routine for calculating a displaying size of the thread on the display based on the thread thickness and the displaying magnification, and a display controlling routine for displaying the sewing pattern with the thread in the calculated displaying size on the display.
In the embodiment, the effects similar to those of the above-described aspects can be obtained.